How about Daniel Bard so far?

[JohnGreen2004]

He looks composed out there. Hopefully the boys can put up some runs and try to get him his first win as a starter.

[SoxSport]

The kid looks like he could be a 3rd starter--not a 4th. Buchholz needs to get his act together fast.

[sheffieldcelt]

our pitching in better shape than a lot of people think, bard been excellent, throwing hard and accurate, impressed also with doubront, both very unluck to lose and will win more than they lose if they continue to pitch the way they have

 

lester and beckett looking good, aceves will make great closer, think paddilla will make good releiver

 

need clay to improve, lot of experts were saying clay was lucky with balls in play in his excellent 2010 season and expected to regress, hope this is not the case

 

all in all happy with the pitching

 

 

very impressed with bard, excellent performance today, mixing 98mph fastballs and 80mph off speed stuff will lead to wins

[NZSox]

I'm really loving our starting pitching personally, and Bard has been a big part of that. Terribly unlucky to lose, only giving up one run. I love the way he blows by hitters.

[BornToRun]

our pitching in better shape than a lot of people think, bard been excellent, throwing hard and accurate, impressed also with doubront, both very unluck to lose and will win more than they lose if they continue to pitch the way they have

 

lester and beckett looking good, aceves will make great closer, think paddilla will make good releiver

 

need clay to improve, lot of experts were saying clay was lucky with balls in play in his excellent 2010 season and expected to regress, hope this is not the case

 

all in all happy with the pitching

 

 

very impressed with bard, excellent performance today, mixing 98mph fastballs and 80mph off speed stuff will lead to wins

Clay was good when healthy last year and he settled down nicely on Saturday.

[sheffieldcelt]

Clay was good when healthy last year and he settled down nicely on Saturday.

 

Yeah, he was and hope he's the same this year, clay at his best and rotation will be excellent

[redsoxfan3]

If healthy, this rotation can be compared to one of the best rotations in baseball. Some may agree and some may disagree, but I think this rotation has unlimited potential. Doubront is a guy that has finally locked in and is starting to prove that he can live up to his potential. It is clear that he made the effort over last season to stay in shape and stay healthy. He is a good number 4 or 5 pitcher. Bard is progressively getting better. He pitched well yesterday. He needs to improve on the walks, but other than that he has stuff that will be unhittable at times. Bard could be the number 3 pitcher for several teams if he continues to pitch well. Beckett and Lester are two of the best pitchers in baseball when they are both on. We have a strong 1-2 punch. Buchholz has looked shaky in his first two starts, but it was clear in his last start that he settled down a bit. I look for him to even do better in his next start. He is a solid #3. From 1 though 5, we have a good looking rotation. We have a lot of talent and a lot of potential there. What I really like in our rotation is the age. Lester is 28, Beckett is 31, Buchholz is 27, Doubront is 24, and Bard is 26. We have four guys under the age of 30 and Beckett is still pitching well in his early thirties. We could have this rotation for the next few years. The big thing for me is health. I hope that everyone stays healthy, and if that is the case, then we could have a competitive rotation for a while.

[kapsis21]

^^ unlimited potential.. i second that. the potential has always been there but meeting that potential would be key..

[Dirt Schilling]

Bard looked really good giving up only one run. Too bad the umpire completely lost it when Cody Ross was struck out with three balls. I am still pissed about this.

[JohnGreen2004]

Yeah that was pretty bad, the Amica pitch zone showed all 5 pitches to be off the plate and they were getting further off with each one. Totally got robbed of an AB there.

 

Bard was great even with the bad inning, I think that inning may help his growth as a starter. It was a lesson learned and like he said after the game, he now knows what it feels like to pitch deep into a game--something Sox starters are known for not doing.

[SoxSport]

Bard looks OK as a starter, but the bullpen right now is a disaster. Melancon doesn't appear to be effective, and Bailey has disappeared on the DL list. That's two guys gone? who were supposed to anchor the bullpen. Aceves looks like he can handle the closer job, but would Aceves-Bard be better in the bullpen as setup-closer? Maybe so, if Melancon turns out to be a bust.

 

The fly in the ointment is the FO' s refusal to accept reality--they need Bard in the bullpen right now.

No sense in sticking to your commitment when your replacements, Melancon and Bailey, have become invisible.

[BecKett]

Bard looks OK as a starter, but the bullpen right now is a disaster. Melancon doesn't appear to be effective, and Bailey has disappeared on the DL list. That's two guys gone? who were supposed to anchor the bullpen. Aceves looks like he can handle the closer job, but would Aceves-Bard be better in the bullpen as setup-closer? Maybe so, if Melancon turns out to be a bust.

 

The fly in the ointment is the FO' s refusal to accept reality--they need Bard in the bullpen right now.

No sense in sticking to your commitment when your replacements, Melancon and Bailey, have become invisible.

 

It's not as cut and dry as you make it seem. He's been valuable as a starter through 2 starts. He wants this transition and, until proven otherwise, has earned it. Obviously, he would be a huge addition to the bullpen, but he has geared up all spring to be a starter. It only makes sense to let him give it a go until he fails or the bullpen completely falls apart.

[Dojji]

Bard looks OK as a starter, but the bullpen right now is a disaster. Melancon doesn't appear to be effective, and Bailey has disappeared on the DL list. That's two guys gone? who were supposed to anchor the bullpen. Aceves looks like he can handle the closer job, but would Aceves-Bard be better in the bullpen as setup-closer? Maybe so, if Melancon turns out to be a bust.

 

The fly in the ointment is the FO' s refusal to accept reality--they need Bard in the bullpen right now.

No sense in sticking to your commitment when your replacements, Melancon and Bailey, have become invisible.

 

And he's going to just slot into the bullpen and nothing will change, he'll be the old Bard we remember with no material differences.

 

Right?

 

Right?

 

Naive.

[jung]

Not sure everybody knows yet but Melancon is on his way to Pawtucket. Did not catch who is coming up to replace him.

[SoxSport]

It's not as cut and dry as you make it seem. He's been valuable as a starter through 2 starts. He wants this transition and' date=' until proven otherwise, has earned it. Obviously, he would be a huge addition to the bullpen, but he has geared up all spring to be a starter. It only makes sense to let him give it a go until he fails or the bullpen completely falls apart.[/quote']

 

The point is, they don't trade for Bailey, Bard is the closer.

[Dojji]

Not sure everybody knows yet but Melancon is on his way to Pawtucket. Did not catch who is coming up to replace him.

 

Tazawa

[NativeBostonian]

Tazawa

 

I like this move. There is no way that Tazawa does any worse than the pile a horse s***.

[SoxSport]

Tonite, the bullpen couldn't keep them in a close game. The front office has not done a good job with the pitching. They change pitching coaches like musical chairs, but that doesn't seem to solve the problem.

 

Bobby V is taking all the flak right now for his big mouth, but I think the front office deserves some scrutiny.

[JohnGreen2004]

I agree, it's not as simple as it was before Bard made his first start. At that time everyone was calling for him to be back in the bullpen. Now that he's proven he can start and looks like he could be a pretty good one to boot, it complicates the situation. The FO figures to save a lot of money if he develops into a good starter under team control for a few years so we can expect him to get a fair shot.

[a700hitter]

Aaron Cook pitched again for the PawSox yesterday. He got a no-decision, but he pitched 8 innings giving up 1 run on 2 hits with 4 walks. Overall, in 3 starts, he is 2-0 with a 1.35 ERA. Don't they have to make a decision on him by May 1st? It's anybody's guess how this shakes out. He could come up and work out of the pen. He could be put in the rotation with Bard or Doubront going to the pen, or they might let him walk to another team.

[BornToRun]

Aaron Cook pitched again for the PawSox yesterday. He got a no-decision' date=' but he pitched 8 innings giving up 1 run on 2 hits with 4 walks. Overall, in 3 starts, he is 2-0 with a 1.35 ERA. Don't they have to make a decision on him by May 1st? It's anybody's guess how this shakes out. He could come up and work out of the pen. He could be put in the rotation with Bard or Doubront going to the pen, or they might let him walk to another team.[/quote']

 

Put him in the pen. You don't ditch your promising young pitchers for an aging sinker baller.

[Spudboy]

Tonite, the bullpen couldn't keep them in a close game. The front office has not done a good job with the pitching. They change pitching coaches like musical chairs, but that doesn't seem to solve the problem.

 

Bobby V is taking all the flak right now for his big mouth, but I think the front office deserves some scrutiny.

 

X2.

[Spudboy]

I remain intrigued by Tazawa.

 

I have not seen him pitch since he blew his arm out. I remember liking his stuff and especially his poise. He may have been s***ing in his pants that night he got shelled in Yankee stadium, but you'd never now it. He's got balls of steel (at least compared to many of the Japanese pitchers I've seen). No racism intended. I refer to cultural differences only. I just like the kid. I hope he has gained some muscle mass though.

 

End rant.

[a700hitter]

I remain intrigued by Tazawa.

 

I have not seen him pitch since he blew his arm out. I remember liking his stuff and especially his poise. He may have been s***ing in his pants that night he got shelled in Yankee stadium, but you'd never now it. He's got balls of steel (at least compared to many of the Japanese pitchers I've seen). No racism intended. I refer to cultural differences only. I just like the kid. I hope he has gained some muscle mass though.

 

End rant.

From his first Spring training, I could see that he had poise and good command. His stuff was not exceptional, but he had decent secondary pitches. I think he was starting to blossom when he blew out his arm.

[Spudboy]

From his first Spring training' date=' I could see that he had poise and good command. His stuff was not exceptional, but he had decent secondary pitches. I think he was starting to blossom when he blew out his arm.[/quote']

 

I like your assessment. And I value it because you were there. Not because we are friends.

 

Dickweed!

[a700hitter]

I like your assessment. And I value it because you were there. Not because we are friends.

 

Dickweed!

It's a true friend who remains your friend long after they have concluded you are a dick.

[kapsis21]

we need to find that 7th and 8th inning guy that could keep a game close. i think Bobby V tried mixture of arms vs Detroit series and got burned so he decided to keep Morales too long this time and got burned, he is still trying to figure out who that arm is.. and i cant blame him.. no one has yet given him a consistent inning when we are 1 run behind.. and as much as i like BARD is not the answer now.

so we need to get Padilla or Morales or Albers to lock in that role.

 

need to make that call to Mike Gonzalez and DFA Thomas big time.

[Spudboy]

It's a true friend who remains your friend long after they have concluded you are a dick.

 

Lulz all around.

 

Speaking of which, I'd like another round!

 

:lol::lol:

 

Where the f*** is my Vodka???

 

Yes, V.

[hugojutt]

I built heaps of trade buildings and had them buy iron.

That was the only way it worked for me.

[SCM33]

"I asked a lot of questions as to what their goals were in this," Bard said. "They said right now they have every intention of it being temporary and making my start on Friday. That's where I'm at right now. I still view myself as a starter, and they said that they do, too. That's where they said they want me in the long run. For now, they said they'll try to address a need for a couple days and keep me from going 10 days without throwing, as well. told them I was OK with it."

 

How about you shut your mouth and just do what you are told to do?

 

You are an employee here for 3 more years. If you dont like your role at that time, sign somewhere else.